#WriterWednesday Author Interview wth Holly B. Gutwillinger
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I’d like to welcome author Holly B. Gutwillnger to the blog today for #WriterWednesday!
A few of your favorite traditions: I love to wake up early, before anyone else, to write by the fire with a cup of chai latte.
Something that you’ll never do again: I’ll never visit a corn maze on the farm and get lost again.
Favorite treat: Homemade pumpkin pie with vanilla ice cream.
A treat that makes you gag: I gag at the idea of eating mincemeat pie.
Something you only do in the fall: I chop wood and stockpile for the winter months.
Something you’d never do in the fall season: I would never swim in the local lake.
Favorite beverage: Iced Chai Latte with extra cinnamon and two inches of foam.
A drink that gives you a sour face: Over-steeped green tea turned bitter.
Favorite smell: Cedar trees in the forest.
Something that makes you hold your nose: rotting leaves on the forest’s bed or in my yard.
Best memory: I have fond memories of packing a lunch and joining my father for a full day of harvesting wood for the winter.
Something you’d rather forget: My dog jumping into the icy lake to chase ducks.
Best thing you ever cooked/baked: Butter tarts with maple syrup in the recipe.
Your worst kitchen disaster: Sourdough bread from a failed starter.
Favorite place you to spend a day: In the hardwood forest in the Muskokas, which is located in Central Ontario.
The worst place to spend a day: In Florida because then I’d miss the autumn leaves in Ontario.
Funniest story: My boys, who were young at the time, carved a large hole in a pumpkin, placed them over their heads, and walked into the house to scare me.
Your worst story: It had to be the time I spent hours intricately carving an image on the pumpkin, but I pushed too hard and ruined the hours of work. It could not be repaired.
Favorite pumpkin spice item: I love Pumpkin cheesecake squares straight out of the freezer.
Something that should never be pumpkin-spiced flavored: Cinnamon buns should never ever has anything different because the original recipe is what makes them unique.
About Holly:
Holly B. Gutwillinger is an author and podcaster who calls a small northern Ontario town home. Her anticipated debut novel, North of Broken & Furever Home, launches February 14, 2026, offering readers an intimate and heartfelt exploration of a woman's complex, evolving relationship with her rescue dogs—a story that weaves together themes of healing, companionship, and the unexpected ways animals transform our lives.
Holly's writing voice is profoundly shaped by her deep love of family. As the proud mother of two adult sons, she brings an authentic understanding of parental devotion and the complexities of watching children grow into their own lives. This same fierce commitment extends to the animals who share her world, and her work reflects the belief that our relationships with both human and animal family members reveal fundamental truths about who we are and who we aspire to become.
Holly combines formal training with natural storytelling. She is currently deepening her craft through her MFA in fiction at the University of King's College, where she continues to explore the intersections of character, voice, and emotional truth. Beyond her individual pursuits, Holly is deeply embedded in the literary community, serving on the board of her local writers' guild and volunteering her expertise with the Women's Fiction Writers Association, where she helps support and champion other voices in the genre.
Through both her written work and her podcast, Holly creates spaces for authentic conversation about the stories that matter—those that examine our connections, our vulnerabilities, and the quiet courage it takes to open our hearts to love in all its forms.
Let’s Be Social:
Substack: https://substack.com/@hollybgutwillinger?utm_source=user-menu
Instagram: @rambling_from_the_little_shed
Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/ramblings-from-the-little-shed/id1852258364
Website: www.ramblingsfromthelittleshed.com
