I recently finished reading Marie Cauley's adventurous fiction book, Never Forgotten You, inspired by Marie's own love for teen idol David Cassidy! 

I LOVED Marie's book so much that I just had to reach out to Marie and ask if she would like to do an interview together because I want as many people as possible to know about this amazing book! 

Much to my delight, Marie said YES!

In this interview, Marie answered my call to share:

• How she came up with the idea for her debut book, Never Forgotten You
• What made her want to write in the fiction genre
• How writing Never Forgotten You got her to explore other dreams
• If we are getting a sequel
• So much more

Connect with Marie: Facebook, Instagram

Marie does a great job of keeping the reader in suspense, taking us on so many twists & turns, usually with a jaw dropping effect. Her descriptive writing really brings the characters to life, giving the reader a clear visual of what each person looks like & what makes them tick.

Marie's writing is a page turner. She really knows how to make the reader want to keep going. Some nights I thought I would just read 1 or 2 chapters & all of a sudden, I found myself reading 7 or 8 chapters at a time. I had to force myself to put the book down & go to sleep. 

If you want to go on an adventure filled with love, loss, long walks on the beach, fandom, stardom & so much more, I highly recommend picking up a copy of Marie Cauley's book, Never Forgotten You.

Tony & Grammy Award Winner John Lloyd Young
Holding Marie Cauley's debut book, Never Forgotten You
Photo courtesy of Marie Cauley's Social Media

1. Who or what inspired you to become a writer/author? I have loved books ever since I read Charlotte’s Web in a single afternoon at 6 years old. I had already dreamed of writing songs from watching The Partridge Family. I thought it might be cool to write a book, but figured that you had to be an adult.

In high school, I fell in love with Jane Austen from reading Pride and Prejudice in my Honors British Literature class. It was then that I seriously considered being an author, and tried writing a few short stories.

Time went on, constantly reading no matter what was going on in my life. I picked up a novel by Luanne Rice called Firefly Beach, and in the middle of reading it, sat straight up and decided that I could really do this. I loved her style and connection with the story. From there for me, it was a matter of coming up with the right idea that I could turn into a full-length novel.

2. Out of all the book genres, what made you want to write fiction? I’ve always been inspired by a great story. I truly believe that fictional characters can resonate with readers, making them feel better about their lives, helping them problem solve for themselves, letting them experience different points of view by connecting with the emotions heroes and heroines feel along the way.

Sometimes fiction can help you see what can be possible, and how to make dreams come true. So a story with some romance, some mystery, some motivation, will always be powerful. An escape into someone else’s world can enhance your own.

Left to Right:
Dedication Page in Never Forgotten You, David Cassidy
Photo courtesy of Marie Cauley's Social Media

3. How did you come up with the idea for your debut book, Never Forgotten You? While I was trying to come up with ideas, I thought of a couple that I didn’t really see turning into something that would need several chapters. Then one day I was walking around Borders Book Store (remember them? I still miss that place!) and went into the music section. While browsing, I discovered that several Partridge Family albums had now been released on CD.

I hadn’t listened to the vinyl versions for a long time. I bought all of the ones on CD that they had in stock, and took them home to play on the stereo. I started with my favorite album, Sound Magazine…and hearing the songs immediately took me back to being in kindergarten and grade school, Friday nights watching the show, and my major crush on David Cassidy.

All of those old feelings came rushing back to the surface – dreams of Keith Partridge/David Cassidy, wanting to sing with the band, and wanting to learn to write songs.

I began to wonder what it would be like, for any of us, to meet our favorite teen idols once we were adults, and the possible scenarios that could happen. The story was born, and I began writing it.

Not long after I started, The Partridge Family series came out on DVD, which only fueled the fire and contributed more ideas within my story.

4. What was the most challenging part of the book to write & why was it so difficult? Most of it flowed pretty well as I worked through it. Without giving too much of the story away – it was sometimes difficult emotionally to write some of the hospital scenes, as it took me back to times during my life when I was anxious about certain tests (which thankfully all turned out well) or periods of time when loved ones were going through a diagnosis.

You learn to feel those feelings, use them and push through them to write, and then go to do something constructive or relaxing to decompress after the scenes have been written. Going for a walk, listening to music, hanging out with a friend and doing something fun always help.

5. I love how the book takes you on a variety of twists & turns. How did you know when it was time to divert the reader onto one of these roads? Sometimes it was just the natural progression of what would happen in my mind, whenever the next twist would strike. Other times I would jot down what I wanted to happen in the story down the road, and worked my way towards it as I decided what needed to happen to get my characters there.

Occasionally I went back into a previous chapter to add something that would be important for that twist later on. The path from first chapter to last was definitely not a straight line…which is something that many other authors can vouch for as well!

6. I truly felt like I was on an adventure with each chapter I read. What has been your favorite adventure so far? In the book – Karen is rediscovering her passion for songwriting. Personally – two separate, but related European adventures. First, the Christmas season of 2024 in Germany and Austria, where we explored The Sound of Music filming sites, experienced Bavarian Christmas markets and other sites, learned to make authentic apple strudel, and made blown glass ornaments.

Then, in autumn of 2025, our Tuscany tour of Florence and other towns, with pasta making lessons, wine tastings, and so much more. And on both tours, the private concerts with Tony Award winner John Lloyd Young were the icing on the cake!

Marie Cauley, Innsbruck Christmas Market in Austria
Photo courtesy of Marie Cauley's Social Media

7. Which character would the reader be most surprised to find out is just like you? Well, the one that may or may not be a surprise is Karen, since she formed in my mind while I was thinking about my childhood experiences. What is definitely a surprise is how I came up with her name; a combination of it being the name of my friend in kindergarten who also loved The Partridge Family and David Cassidy, and my admiration of Karen Carpenter’s incredible voice.

8. How did writing Never Forgotten You inspire you to do something new that you never thought possible? One thing that it brought me back to doing is songwriting. I’m accumulating lyrics as we speak, and it’s thrilling to work on a dream that I’ve had since childhood.

Also, I was on the shy side growing up, so doing more public speaking (especially about my book) and actually enjoying it is quite a pleasant surprise.

Marie Cauley Autograph Table
Holiday Book Market, Mentor Public Library
Photo courtesy of Marie Cauley's Social Media

9. After reading Never Forgotten You, is there a sequel in the works because I need to know what happens? I am working on the second book in the series now! It is set in New York City and on Broadway, featuring Chris’s half-brother, who you met in the first book.

The stories overlap with some characters, so you’ll hear more about Karen and Chris while following Brian’s adventures. The series is bi-coastal, so the books will alternate between Los Angeles and NYC, with the stories of both moving forward.

I’m excited to share what my characters, both current and new, have been up to!

10. In addition to being an author, you used to write Dancing with the Stars recaps for Ballroom Dance Channel. How do you feel that experience helped you as an author? I covered both Dancing With The Stars and So You Think You Can Dance, including the auditions and training processes along with the actual performances. It taught me to be detailed and thorough when I write.

I was so happy to receive compliments on my recaps, because I included so many details, which helped people who missed an episode feel like they could picture what happened – especially because at that time, no one was posting all of the dance content on YouTube or elsewhere.

It’s also helped me when I write concert recaps…it makes others feel like they were there, or helps them relive the experience if they also attended the show.

When I’m working on my books, I envision the details so I can include them, in order to draw the reader into a special world.

11. What is something we didn't get to talk about in this interview that you'd like my audience to know about you? I want to inspire and empower others who feel like they haven’t been allowed to use their voices. There is definitely romance and mystery in my stories, but I also want it to strike a chord with readers when the heroes and heroines realize that they can speak, they can do what they dream of, and they can overcome any negativity from others.

I’ve had periods in my life when I wasn’t allowed to deviate from a certain pattern and had to stay in the box that other people had placed me in. I wrote Never Forgotten You and began work on the second book during that time. It helped me break free from the confinement of that box, and I would like those who read my novels to find the power to break free as well.

It’s up to us to write our own life stories, to hold the pen ourselves, and be who we are meant to be as we live our lives to the fullest the way we wish.

Authors have an opportunity to help with that, and I am proud to assist in empowering us all.

Be the best person that you can be – and never forget your dreams. 

Marie Cauley
Photo courtesy of Marie Cauley's Social Media

More on Marie Cauley:

Marie Cauley is a freelance writer and novelist, taking on the challenge of navigating the differences between worlds and enjoying every minute of it.

She has interviewed several subjects for both Christian and secular publications, including actress/producer Roma Downey, Christian recording artist Mandisa, Olympic gymnast Shawn Johnson, and contestants from The Biggest Loser.

She is also a former columnist for the Sun News for North Ridgeville, Ohio, and wrote dance show recaps for the Ballroom Dance Channel website while it was in operation. She currently lives in Cleveland, Ohio.

In between writing chapters, you can find her writing song lyrics and poetry; visiting her awesome offspring, the future doctor, at medical school in Vermont and the New England region; attending and reviewing concerts; and traveling all over the country and around the world.