Cozy coastal streets, siblings you’ll swear you’ve met, and a carpenter with a secret dirty mouth—welcome to Sutton Bay. We sit down with author Ronnie Mathews to unpack how a lifelong reader who never planned to publish built a small-town romance series that blends tenderness, banter, and genuine stakes without losing the fun. From the first spark of a debut to the final chapter of a four-book arc, Ronnie takes us inside her creative process and the choices that make these stories feel like home.
We talk craft in the trenches: why she writes in chronological order, how she rewrites beginnings until the characters breathe, and the moment she knows a book is ready for ARC readers. She reflects on her Bookstagram roots, the value of an author peer group, and why she avoids reading in-genre while drafting to protect her voice. If you crave small-town romance with disability and neurodivergent representation, layered characters, and dialogue that snaps, this conversation is your next listen.
Subscribe, share with a romance-loving friend, and leave a review to tell us which Sutton Bay couple owns your heart.
Follow Ronnie Mathews on IG @author.ronniemathews
Cover Art by: moi
Intro/Outro Music: positive vibes by nanaacom on Capcut
Contact Email: spillthesmutpodcast@gmail.com
Podcast IG: @spillthesmutpodcast TT: @spillthesmutpodcast
Jordan IG: @sipsoffiction TT: @sipsoffiction
