Interview Q&A – Caramel and Steel: A Platinum Chocolate Romance with author LongTemple

Q1. Your book details a generally very positive experience with online dating. What has been your experience, or your friends’ if you have not partaken? Any horror stories akin to Marsha’s?

A1. Dating in general has its ups and downs. For Marlie, it was especially challenging because she had been married for thirty-three years, had no friends of her own outside of that marriage, and was a private individual to her colleagues. Navigating dating after all that time — for someone who doesn’t go to bars — felt daunting. That’s why her online journey was such a new adventure, full of both missteps and delightful surprises.

Q2. What is different about online dating for older adults?

A2. The challenge often lies in where and how to meet potential companions. Older adults tend to have smaller or more established social circles, and meeting someone usually requires being “fixed up,” attending events, or relying on mutual friends. Without those connections, it becomes very difficult. Online dating expands that circle, opening doors that otherwise remain closed.

Q3. Interesting that the book talks about being alive through new friends. Many people think that the online world limits the human connection. Your thoughts?

A3. Speaking in terms of Marlie — and likely many divorcees — online dating actually opens opportunities for human connection. It allows people to branch outside their comfort zones and meet others navigating the same stage of life. For mature adults, this world of online interaction can be a source of companionship, laughter, and fun. It doesn’t replace genuine human connection; it helps create it.

Q4. The name “Trunk” suggests that there’s a lot to unpack (after all, that’s what you put in a trunk, right?). Yet he’s never anything but perfect, even though he had to leave Marlie out of a sense of duty. Did you wrestle with making him less flawless?

A4. Yes. To Marlie, Trunk was “packing” in every sense — tall, dark, handsome, a retired psychologist, a man of faith, a soulful singer, witty and charming. He seemed perfect. But perfection has layers. When his ex-wife fell ill, his sense of duty pulled him back to her, and that wasn’t something Marlie could accept. For her, it wasn’t about his kindness or loyalty; it was that he didn’t choose her. That left her feeling less than, unwanted — a blow to both her heart and her ego. And in Marlie’s world, that was the end.

Q5. Let’s talk about your writing journey. What made you decide to write a novel or two?

A5. I’ve always written — mostly poetry in the past — but during the years of raising kids, managing a household, and supporting a husband, there wasn’t much time left to truly indulge in that passion. After the smoke and dust of divorce cleared, I suddenly found myself alone, and my mind exploded with ideas. New experiences began leading the way, and that’s when the niche of Platinum Chocolate Romance took root and started to grow. To date, I’ve written twenty-three books, and since November 2024 through May 2025, five of them have been published — with more rolling out slowly, each one given its own moment to shine.

Q6. Any advice for those who enjoyed your book and may be contemplating taking up the writing life themselves?

A6. Writing has always been therapeutic for me, especially as an introvert. I place myself inside each story and live the experience as I write it, which makes the process both healing and exciting. If you’re enjoying my books, I encourage you to follow my Amazon Author Page so you can discover titles you may have missed and be notified when new releases arrive. For anyone considering becoming a writer, my advice is this: there’s no one-size-fits-all journey. Writers write — and the most important step is simply to begin.