COFFEE-FUELED & ALWAYS WRITING

Frequently Asked Questions

Everything readers ask me most, gathered in one place. My books, my writing life, and how to keep up with what’s coming next.

  • Sharla Fanous is a poet and contemporary romance author known for slow-burn love stories and introspective, lyrical poetry. She has written five poetry collections, including her latest release, Return, and her debut novel, Meet Me in the Market, arrives February 9, 2027.

    Off the page, she’s a self-described believer in banter, coffee refills, and the power of a second chance. Read her full story on the bio page.

  • Sharla writes two kinds of work: introspective, lyrical poetry collections and sweet, slow-burn contemporary romance. Her poetry explores healing, stillness, and coming home to yourself. Her romance leans into tension built from small moments: a shared bench, a name said softly, and the pause before two people learn to stay.

    Every one of her stories, poetry or fiction, ends the same way… with hope.

  • Sharla’s romance is sweet and slow-burning, built on banter, longing, and emotional tension rather than explicit content. It would be characterized as a “closed-door” romance.

    If you love a love story where the anticipation is the whole point, her books are for you.

About Sharla

  • Return is a poetry collection, Sharla’s latest release. It’s a luminous set of poems about coming home to yourself, your truth, your softness, and your strength, written for anyone navigating change, healing, or self-discovery.

    It’s available now at your favourite online bookstore. Buy Return on Amazon.

  • Sharla’s poetry collections were written in this order, each marks a different season: Unbroken Pieces (2022), Cocoon (2025), Bloom (2026), Burn (2026), Return (2026, most recent). You don’t need to read them in sequence to enjoy them, but reading them in order lets you follow the emotional arc from unmasking, to rest, to reawakening, to release, to coming home.

    See all five on the Books page.

  • Meet Me in the Market is Sharla’s debut contemporary romance novel. Cheyenne Roberts has built a quiet, careful life for herself and her two kids until her best friend hijacks her phone and builds her a dating profile. That’s how she meets Liam, a chef about to open a restaurant on Ottawa’s Sparks Street, who is far more interested in her than either of them planned for.

    It’s a slow burn love story about the life you put on hold, and the person who makes you want to start again, set against the seasons of Ottawa and the ByWard Market.

  • Meet Me in the Market releases February 9, 2027. In the meantime, you can vote on the cover and enter for a chance to win an advance copy.

  • Meet Me in the Market is set in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, moving through the seasons of the city and its ByWard Market. Readers who love a strong sense of place alongside their slow burn will feel like Ottawa is practically a character in the book.

  • Yes, always. Happy endings are non-negotiable in Sharla’s romance writing. Her poetry, meanwhile is honest about hard seasons, but every collection moves toward hope, release, or renewal by its final page.

  • All of Sharla’s poetry collections are available through Amazon and other major online booksellers. You’ll find direct links to each one, along with details on the upcoming novel, on the Books page.

  • Sharla is an independent author who publishes her books under her own imprint, Bella Press.

Her Books

  • You can sign up right on the homepage with just your name and email. Subscribers get first access to cover reveals, release dates, and updates on Meet Me in the Market, with no spam and easy unsubscribing anytime.

  • Sharla’s ARC (Advance Reader Copy) team gets early access to her upcoming releases in exchange for an honest review. You can find details and sign up on the ARC Team Page.

  • Head to the Book Cover Contest page to vote for your favourite cover concept for Meet Me in the Market. Voting also enters you for a chance to win an advance copy of the novel before it releases.

  • You can find Sharla on Instagram, TikTok at @sharla.writes, and on Goodreads, where you can also review her books.

  • The quickest way to reach Sharla directly is through the Contact page. For day-to-day updates and behind-the-scenes moments, following her on Instagram or TikTok is the best way to stay close to the writing process.

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